The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1887-04-16
TIiI ,OI.isCION tCp,


back once more to the old policy OF
coercion. Before we enter upon that
{ controversy we may advantageous,
pause and ask ourselves. What doe,
coercion mean: What has il done IN
promote the welfare of Ireland. OF
cement the union between lreian and
England; Out OF the eighty.siN
years that have elapsed .iucr
the legislative union of the two
countries there are only fourteen dur.
ing which the "ordinary law" he. held
The field during seventy-two wears
coercion in ono form or another has
superseded the ordinary admiristra.
ton Of the law. Coercion has taken
various forms. AT the beginning of
the century IL appeared n martial
law. For Onc-hait of the period COW
cred by the union it mas meant the
suppression Of llabcas Corpus. Dur
my all That time the Irish government
has been armed with the power of
arfestihg auy person il pleased. and
OF Keeping them in prison for AN
unlimited time without accusing them
OF any offence or bringing them to
trlal. That torn of coercion has al
way, been first tayouritr at Dublin
castle. AT other times coercion has
meant one oftWo things either max.
M that crime in ireland which IL
not crime in England or ScOtHnd,or
dispensing with some of those safe.
guards in the administration OF Justice
that are regarded in England or
Scotland rs essential for the protcc.
ton OF the innocent II we examine
4 . q Al
lNS2 we shall lind the whole
history OF coercion in Ireland. for
the provisions of these Acts are
typical of all the Coercion acts that
have been passed during the century
ne act of lsO1 took away the trial by
lnry, and established court of ius-
ticcs of the peace presided over by
DHrris,er. to deal with the offences
cronted or defined by the act. This
cout had power 10 sentence to trans
portalion for life anyone administer
in9 an oath or engagement tor srdi-
tiots purposes. The comprehensive
sweep OF this enactment may be un.
derstoOd from the fact that in those
day.. Nud with such tribunal, "-cdi-
uous purposes meant whatever was
dl,ngrccablo to the government. This
same court had power to scUtencc to
transportation for seven ycHr- for
any of the following Thugs. which
wore not crimes by the law either of
Engmud or Scotland 80 DBcmg
found mot Mt home" between sunset
and sunrise, unless the accused proved
W The satisfaction OF the j. rs that
b' was absent ON lawful aud proper
occasion: ~ being in public house
b tween in tllc evening and q in the
morning ,5) being found in posses
sion OF any arms, ammunition, pike
plkchead, spear or dirk in u proclaim
1d district; lJ bclng in u tumultuous
assembly III tho daytime. Be-
SIDES thar, The court could
sentence TO a years imprisonment
anyone who hawkod or dispersed any
seditiOus paper. handful, or pamph-
let. "scditiOus' meaning in practice
ANY political writing OF which the j.
rs disGpproved This act was the
model followed by succeeding GOV.
comments. IT the Irish people arc not
loyal AnU CUutcutCd it i, not Tor lack
81 tAe WhIp. No mcasure that can be
brought forward bN any government
can equal or approach the powers
given OV tuc old coercion acts given
nut used freely aud uuscrupulously
bat an vain Tho act OF l~~2 also
contained a Curicw law with "A penalty
Of three month" imprisonment, in.
stead OF seven years trans ortalon
Us in the act OF lsu7, it gave policemen
power arbitrarily to arrest any "stran-
GER il the policeman should suspect
e. ttf
llrd.licutrnaut to cOuii-cate any news.
uapcr which in his opinion contained
"matter melting 10 intiuidatiou:' il
anTH the police power TO enter and
break open any lushmau's house nj
any hour OF the day or might, ana uot
even the beds where women zero ou
were rncrcd from Invasion. The
net OF lSo@ imposed more
penalties on persons suspected o,
being witnesses than in England or
scotland are inflicted upon persons
suspected Of having committed an
offence. Not only did that Act re-
Nivc the curfow law Of the Normans.
but ii brought to lite IN institution
more couRcnial to the Jurisprudence
of China thAn of the west. When
any person had been maincd or IN
jnred, the Act empowered him 10
claim compensation, not from the
person who manned or Injured him.
which would be Just, but from the
persons living in the same ncghbor-
hood who had not Injured
him such was Mr.. clad.
stones Coercion Act. Under
hls administration one thousand
lrishmcn were put in prison, ana
Hcpt there, some of them for twenty
months, who were never so much rs
accused OF any crime before any tri-
bunal OF their country. When We
remember what Irish prisons are
prisons the management OF which is
20 Europe. prisons IN which
an abnormal proportion Of the in-
mates become insane, and are re-
moved from gHOl 10 end their DAYS in
1t madhousc can we be surprised
that lri-hmcn DO not love "a, Qutoa.
4, bar. I. g.